Garth Brooks

Country Musician / Country Singer

Born: 7 February 1962

Birthplace: Tulsa, Oklahoma

Best known as: Country-pop singer of "Shameless" and "Friends in Low Places"

Garth Brooks is one of the biggest crossover country music singers of all time. His combination of cheerful enthusiasm and pudgy boy-next-door looks was a consistent hit with both country and pop music audiences, who bought millions of copies of albums including Ropin' the Wind (1991), The Chase (1992), and Fresh Horses (1995). His hit singles included "Friends in Low Places," "The Thunder Rolls" and "Shameless." The Garth Brooks craze was hottest in the mid-1990s, when he won dozens of industry awards and was named both Country and Pop Artist of the Year by Billboard magazine. Brooks retired from performing in 2000, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family, but announced in 2009 that he would come out of retirement to play again.

Extra credit: Brooks also released a 1999 album titled In the Life of Chris Gaines, in which he took the role of a fictional alter ego, pop star Chris Gaines... Brooks married country star and frequent collaborator Trisha Yearwood on 10 December 2005. Brooks had earlier been married to the former Sandy Mahl from 1986 until their separation in 1999; they were officially divorced in 2001. They had three daughters: Taylor (b. 1992), August (b. 1994) and Allie (b. 1996).